Tony's Evolution VI: Season 7 Focus
by Betterbuddy
Summary: This is set between S6 and S7. The team is recovering after leaving Ziva. This is my take on what went on during the summer with just the boys on the team. Angsty Tony and Gibbs stuff. S6 Aliyah spoilers/set before S7 Truth and Consequences.
1. Chapter 1

Note: I apologize once again in advance for any typing errors that may exist. Thank you so much for reading. Thank you so much for your feedback!

* * *

Previously on NCIS

S6's Aliyah

Gibbs: So McGee, . . .Rivkin, Tony, Ziva... what do you know?  
McGee: Nothing.  
McGee: I saw Tony snooping around Ziva's desk. It was the day before she went back to Tel Aviv. He  
[Tony] answered the phone. I think he talked to Rivkin.

Vance: You think she might ask to come back?  
Gibbs: I'm just giving her time. That's all.  
Vance: Time to what?  
Gibbs: Remember...who she can trust.  
Vance: Let me make it easy for you. You made the right call.  
Gibbs: I wasn't asking for your opinion, Leon.  
Vance: Just who you think you're talking to?  
Gibbs: That's a good daxx question. I've been wondering  
that for a while.  
Vance: You spend half your time second-guessing me. Studying me, testing me.

Gibbs: I'm looking for answers.  
Vance: It'd help if you'd ask the daxx questions. There's the rub. You don't have a clue what to ask. You don't trust me, but you don't know why.  
Gibbs: You want to talk about trust? What about tearing apart my team last year? There was no warning, there was no discussion.  
Vance: Is that what this is about? You want to sit in the big chair.  
Gibbs: No, I don't. I want to trust whoever does sit there! I want to protect my team.  
Vance: Like Ziva? Okay, fine. You made the decision to leave her in Tel Aviv. I supported you. And now you might want to let her back. Why?  
Gibbs: Because whatever she might have done, I trust her...for what I know she did. Four years ago...  
Vance: She saved your life. By shooting and killing her half-brother, Ari. I told you the chair was big. Ari was out of control. So, Ziva's father sent her to eliminate him. She kills Ari, earns your trust. Two birds, one bullet. Eli played you.

* * *

Monday Morning at NCIS Headquarters

"Good Morning Jethro!" Ducky said with extra enthusiasm as he entered the elevator behind Gibbs. Gibbs said nothing and continued to look deep in thought.

"Jethro?" Ducky said in a more realistic tone.

"What is going on with my team, Duck?" Gibbs said in a surprisingly melancholy tone as he hit the emergency stop.

Ducky looked at him questioningly after the comment trying to read his unspoken language, only to throw the question back at him.

"I am not sure what you mean. Ziva. . .is. . .Ziva chose to stay in Israel. . ." Ducky stopped.

"This time two years ago, Tony was working undercover for Jenny. This time last year, my whole team was sent away after losing Jenny. During that time away, Ziva . . .Rivkin." Gibbs ran through the history.

"Your point is. . ." Ducky tried to make logic of Gibbs' words.

"My point is that my gut did not do its job. I should have intervened." Gibbs explained.

"You cannot shelter them." Ducky interjected. "I fail to see why this could be your fault."

Quickly redirecting the conversation, Gibbs stopped and looked at Ducky. "You asked me in my basement the other day why Ziva had earned my trust so quickly. It was because she saved my life four years ago. She was the one that killed Ari not me." Gibbs turned to a speechless Ducky. "I just found out that she was ordered to kill him. I may have been wrong to trust her. It was a play by Eli."

"Oh dear." Ducky responded finally. "You really need to talk this over with Ziva."

Ducky was taken back as he witnessed Gibbs giving himself a self-inflicted head slap. Ducky opened his mouth but no words came out. Gibbs saw this and angrily hit the emergency release. As the doors opened, Gibbs quickly exited to the squad room. Abby and McGee were arguing softly at his desk. Tony was talking on the phone with one hand and handling a pile of case files with his bad arm out of the sling.

"DiNozzo, stop using that arm!" Ducky yelled with Gibbs.

Tony nearly dropped the folders, when he heard them. He clumsily turned around with an embarrassed grin.

"I'll see you tonight at 8:00." Tony said quickly before putting down the phone. He watched as Gibbs went to his desk with Ducky. Just as he sat down, Gibbs' cell phone rang.

"Gibbs."

"I need to see you." Vance ordered. After an audible sigh, Gibbs went up to Vance's office. Ducky watched Gibbs suspiciously as he walked over to Tony's desk.

"So Anthony." Ducky looked at him, and Tony stopped shuffling the papers on his desk to look at him.

"Good Morning, Ducky." Tony said in a plain tone and straight face.

"How's the arm?" Ducky asked.

"Better." Tony said nodding his head in agreement.

"So, what is at 8:00 tonight?" Ducky asked with a grin.

"Date." Tony answered. "This girl I met on a run wants to see my home theater system.

McGee looked over at him confused. "Hey, I thought you were picking a date up at 5:00 tonight to go bowling.

"I am." Tony said casually, as he looked back down at his desk.

"Same date?" McGee asked as he squinted at Ducky and then back at Tony.

"No." Tony answered carefully. He was then interrupted by his phone ringing. Ducky stepped over to McGee's desk.

"How are you Timothy?" Ducky asked, but they were both eavesdropping on Tony's phone conversation.

"Tomorrow, sure, I'll pick you up tomorrow. What movie do you want to see?" Tony flirted with another date on the phone.

"What is going on around here?" Ducky asked looking up at nothing and thinking that Gibbs was definitely onto something.

"Is he talking to another date?" McGee mumbled and shook his head.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

In Vance's Office

"Gibbs." Vance said as Gibbs entered the room.

"Anything on Ziva?" Gibbs asked.

"No. Nothing." Vance answered then redirected.

"It is your choice. Do you want to look at replacements or do you want to stick it out with a three-man team for now?"

Gibbs never answered. Instead he just reluctantly shook his head. However, Vance knew that Gibbs wanted to just stick with a three-man team.

"Is that all?" Gibbs said quickly.

"What do want to do about DiNozzo?" Vance said innocently.

"What about DiNozzo?" Gibbs snapped back loudly.

"His field work should be restricted for a while." Vance corrected the way he approached the question.

Gibbs stopped and nodded his head to that statement.

"Your boy did do well in Israel. He really held his own. And, you were right. I did throw him to the wolves." Vance tried to ease some tension.

"You underestimated his abilities, Leon. . . as usual." Gibbs said. Vance looked down and reluctantly shook his head to that statement.

"I'll have a talk with him, Gibbs." Vance stated.

"Maybe I should too." Gibbs mumbled to himself as he was about to leave, but Vance still heard him.

"That probably wouldn't be a bad idea, Gibbs." Vance stated. ". . .get reacquainted with the team members that you still have."

"What!" Gibbs shook his head and snapped back.

"Your gut is still off Gibbs. How did DiNozzo become suspicious of Ziva and you didn't?" Vance degraded Gibbs. Gibbs returned a look at Vance that could burn thru him.

"I realize that Agent DiNozzo can be rather "nosey" at times." Vance smiled and tried to lighten his tone after snapping at Gibbs. "However, he knew there was more going on with Rivkin. The reason he went to Ziva's apartment was to try to protect her. . .from whatever she may be conspiring to."

Gibbs turned and left Vance's office. As he headed down to the bullpen, he could hear Tony on the phone.

"Tomorrow? Okay. Let's say 8ish then. All right. See you then." Tony said. As he hung up the phone, he noticed that Gibbs was standing beside his desk. Gibbs raised his eyebrows and walked to his desk. Tony chuckled nervously after seeing Gibbs' reaction.

DiNozzo's desk phone rang, which earned Tony an irritated look from Gibbs.

"Yes, Director." DiNozzo said strongly." ". . .on my way up, sir." Tony smiled and cringed at Gibbs then headed up to the director's office. When Tony got upstairs, his desk phone started to ring. Gibbs once again looked up, very irritated. He moaned and then stood up to answer Tony's phone.

"Agent DiNozzo's phone." Gibbs said with a snap.

"Who? Jessica? Wednesday night at 6:00? I'll leave him a message." Gibbs quickly said and hung up the phone. As he was taking the message, McGee reentered the bullpen.

"Scheduling dates for Tony, now, Boss?" McGee said with a laugh, but he went silent immediately when seeing Gibbs' irate reaction.

* * *

"Sir?" Tony said suspiciously as he entered the room slowly.

"Ah, Agent DiNozzo, come on in." Vance addressed him as he entered.

"I wanted to tell you that you did an excellent job handling the interrogation in Israel. You handled the whole situation very well." Vance commented.

"However, . . .for now on. . .you don't keep anything to yourself. In the future, you are to keep Gibbs and me _apprised_. That is an order."

"Yes, sir." Tony responded. Vance looked over at Tony's sling.

"Take care of yourself." Vance said, which caught Tony off guard.

"Y-Yes, sir." Tony shook his head and turned to return to the bullpen.

"DiNozzo!" Gibbs strongly said as Tony returned.

"Jessica called. She wants you to pick her up at 6:00 on Wednesday." Gibbs loudly stated in an irate tone.

"Thank you, Boss." Tony responded nervously as he sat back down.

"Wednesday at 6:00? You have two dates scheduled tonight!" McGee laughed out loud in disbelief. Gibbs tilted his head in confusion after McGee's statement.

"You also have a date tomorrow at 8:00." Gibbs repeated accusingly, after hearing McGee's statement. They both stared Tony down waiting for an explanation.

Tony laughed nervously. "Look I was in a dating slump for a long time and now I am making up for it." Tony said laughing with the embarrassment. "And, I am trying to make the most out of having an injury and wearing a sling. . . ha, ha!"

Gibbs continued to stare at him. McGee finally shook his head in disbelief. He caught a glimpse of Gibbs, whose face read that McGee needed to leave. McGee took one more look at the two of them and left the bullpen.

"Tony?" Gibbs said sharply. Tony looked back nervously.

"Boss?" Tony finally replied, when he didn't know where this conversation was going.

"Something bothering you?" Gibbs asked looking him over.

Tony laughed nervously in response as Gibbs' powerful eyes felt as if they were seeing right thru him.

"Well, it has been a rough few days." Tony tried to relax Gibbs. Tony swallowed hard, as he noticed Gibbs didn't seem to blink or even move at all.

"Boss, everything is fine." Tony answered.

"Your arm bothering you at all?" Gibbs finally broke his silence, as he continued to stare.

"Nah, I have fractured bones before. This one isn't bad at all." Tony responded casually. Then he tensed up again, as Gibbs continued to give him the stare.

"The dates won't affect my job at all, Boss. I give you my word." Tony tried from a different angle.

"What are you doing, Tony?" Gibbs asked, still regarding Tony. Tony just nervously shook his head and put up his one healthy arm in surrender. Gibbs finally blinked and tilted his head. He then returned to his work.

"My door is always unlocked. . ." Gibbs offered one more time, as he looked back down at his desk.

"I know, Boss. Thanks." Tony responded and started to relax. He began to relax and returned to his paperwork. Gibbs gave another look at Tony and headed over to the elevator. When the elevator doors opened, Gibbs saw McGee standing there, ready to exit onto the floor.

"McGee, join me." Gibbs said redirecting McGee back into the elevator.

"Boss?" McGee asked in concern as the reentered the elevator.

When the doors closed, Gibbs hit the autopsy floor button. He then redirected his attention to McGee. McGee felt Gibbs' eyes regarding him.

"Boss?" McGee finally said quietly.

"Everything all right?" Gibbs asked him.

"Y-Yes, Boss. I am fine. Thank you for asking." McGee answered surprised by the question. Gibbs nodded and then hit the emergency stop before the door could open at autopsy.

"What is your take on DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked directly.

"He's being DiNozzo. Didn't his dating schedule increase after we lost Kate?" McGee tried to make logic of Tony's behavior.

"No. He did the opposite. He didn't date at all. Though, he was also recovering from the plague." Gibbs responded. "And,. . .he talked more back then." Gibbs revealed his concern, which surprised McGee.

"Tony will be fine, Boss." McGee said with certainty. Gibbs nodded and released the emergency stop, so he could get off in autopsy. McGee continued back up to the bullpen.

Ducky watched as Gibbs entered the room and actually sat down near his desk staring off into space.

"Gibbs?" Ducky turned in concern.

"Ziva. . .Tony." Gibbs said still staring in space. He put his hand in the air and let them fall back to his side. Ducky just shook his head, not knowing how to respond.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

"Tony." McGee greeted him as he entered to Bullpen.

"Probie." Tony responded.

"You all right?" McGee asked.

"Yeah, why do people keep asking me that?" Tony lightly snapped more in confusion of having to ask.

"Well, Tony. . .you are acting a bit odd. . .even for you." McGee answered.

"What am I doing that is so "odd" for me?" Tony asked irritated.

"You have Gibbs concerned." McGee said in a whisper as he looked around carefully as he said it.

"Really? Is he really concerned?" Tony asked feeling guilty. "I am not acting that odd. Nothing is wrong with me."

"Let me see. You were following Ziva's Mossad boyfriend. You were attacked and forced to kill her boyfriend in self-defense. You fractured a few bones in your arm in the process. You had to justify what you did to Mossad and were interrogated by Ziva's father. Ziva hasn't forgiven you for having to kill Rivkin. She doesn't trust you anymore and chose to stay in Israel. Now you have scheduled more than one date per night at least three days this week." McGee played back all the events. "No, this is all normal stuff for you." McGee snapped sarcastically at Tony. McGee heard a deep breath from Tony, who was looking down at the floor.

"Thanks for your concern, _**Tim**_." Tony remarked slowly and softly thru his teeth at McGee. He stood up angrily regarding McGee and then went to the elevator.

"Oh my god~Oh my god." Abby repeated as she hurried into the bullpen. She passed McGee's desk but completely stopped half-way to Tony's desk, when she realized Tony wasn't there.

"Where is Tony?" Abby said with a pout as she stomped her one foot. "I haven't checked on him in almost an hour."

"I. . .uh. . .upset him I guess." McGee tried not to show the guilt he was feeling.

"Oh my god! McGee! Where is he? I have to see him. He was almost killed, and he was forced to kill Ziva's boyfriend in self-defense. And, it doesn't look like she is forgiving him. . ." Abby babbled turning in circles as she laid out all the details. Gibbs was listening as he slowly entered the bullpen.

"Abs?" Gibbs questioned as he slowly walked up behind her.

"Oh Gibbs!" Abby said as she wrapped her arms around him for an embrace. "Is Tony okay?" She asked as she buried her face into his shoulder.

"Why don't you ask Tony how he is doing?" Gibbs responded questioningly.

"Tony's missing! It is all McGee's fault." Abby announced her accusation. McGee lightly cringed in response to Abby's emotional accusation.

"Tony will be fine Abby. He'll be right back. I'm sure." McGee responded. Gibbs squinted at McGee after his comments and let Abby's words sink in before sitting down at his desk.

"Gibbs." Abby started another rant.

"Abs." Gibbs addressed her. "Tony will be fine. I'll make sure of it." Gibbs finally added some assuring words as she was about to leave. As she left, Gibbs treated McGee with a real Gibbs' stare.

"Boss. . .I. . ." McGee started, knowing that Gibbs had heard his confession to Abby. "I didn't mean to upset Tony. I am not exactly sure what upset him though." After hearing McGee's confession, Gibbs nodded in agreement. He then stood up with his coffee cup and went for the elevator.

* * *

By this time, Abby and Gibbs had been gone awhile. McGee sat at his computer wondering if the team would recover from this, if Ziva did not return. Seconds later, Tony emerged from the elevator with a large pizza. He sat down at his desk opening up the box, and he tore the top part of the box off. He slapped half of the pieces on the top part of the box and walked it over to McGee. He set the top half of the box with half the pieces of a large pizza in the middle of McGee's desk on top of his keyboard.

"Peace, Tim." Tony said with pizza in his mouth.

"Thanks, Tony." McGee said in shock. He also didn't know what he would do with all of this pizza.

tbc


	4. Chapter 4

Evening at Gibbs' home

That evening at around 8:45, Gibbs' doorbell rang and then Tony entered, since it was always unlocked and he was used to having to go down to the basement. He froze in his tracks when he saw Gibbs on his couch, next to a burning fireplace, sitting in front of his television.

"Boss!" Tony was visibly startled. Gibbs watched him walk in and react to his sitting on the couch.

"Want a beer?" Gibbs asked as he watched Tony.

"Uh, sure. . .sure. Thanks Boss." Tony said as Gibbs went to his fridge and grabbed a drink for Tony, relieved that Tony had arrived at all. Right before giving him the beer, Gibbs stopped. He looked Tony over head to foot, making sure that Tony noticed this before giving him the beer.

"Boss?" Tony asked confused.

"Tony?" Gibbs said as he returned to the couch.

"It's been a bad week, Boss." Tony sighed as he relaxed on the couch.

"Yeah." Gibbs agreed as he flipped off the television.

"Ziva. . .Rivkin. . .It all ended very badly." Tony said. "I never meant for any of it to happen." Tony confessed, staring off into space.

"It is all my fault." Tony added. "He was right. I am Agent Meatball." Tony continued with a haunted look. "I never. . .I mean I should have. . ." Tony stuttered over his own words.

"You need to stop going solo." Gibbs interjected. "We are a team, you know." Tony lifted his eyebrows and shook his head in agreement.

"You were right about Rivkin though. . .And, you were right to be suspicious of Ziva, as much as you were." Gibbs stated. "I should have paid closer attention."

After Gibbs' small confession, Tony turned in concern and confusion. "Boss? This was all my fault. How is this your. . .?"

"You shared with me your concerns. I didn't take them seriously enough. . .and. . .I left you on your own."

"Boss!" Tony sharply started to argue with Gibbs' comments.

"Tony." Gibbs said so sharply that Tony went quiet. "I have spent the last year watching Vance's every move. I was suspicious of him, so, in the process, I have been . . .ignoring. . .the meaningful signs. Signs that my gut should have known were significant.

"There is nothing wrong with _your_ gut." Tony argued in shock of the statement.

"We need to work as a team, Tony." Gibbs restated.

"We do." Tony said softly, worried where this discussion was going.

"Boss, nothing has changed." Tony redirected the conversation in a light tone.

"Your _gut_." Tony emphasized. "Is just as good, if not better, that it has always been."

"I think you just trust your team more now than you used to." Tony added. "And let's face it, we are the best. Especially, your senior field agent." Tony said as he sat up straight tugging at his collar. After hearing Tony's words, Gibbs grinned and turned to look at the agent still sitting straight up on the couch fixing his hair, looking as though he were posing. With some reluctance, Gibbs finally nodded in understanding and agreement. Gibbs continued to watch Tony, until Tony realized that Gibbs was just staring at him.

"Is there are reason for all of these dates?" Gibbs finally asked directly. "Does it have something to do with Ziva?" Tony finally slouched and waved his left hand at Gibbs, indicating that he wanted Gibbs to let this go.

"Wait didn't you have a date at 8:00?"

"I accidently called her Ziva. I think I did it three or four times too. Oops." Tony responded.

"Tony!" Gibbs shouted. "Talk to me, DiNozzo, what is up with Ziva?"

"Ziva is Ziva. If she hadn't gone back to Israel those few months last year, we wouldn't even be having this discussion right now." Tony said with assurance. "And. . .I do think she will come back. . .or call anyway." Tony added but with uncertainty and worry. Gibbs continued to stare at Tony not satisfied with any of his comments.

"Ziva found a grey hair!" Tony shouted back in defeat. Gibbs cocked his head as he continued to stare at Tony.

"It was right on top too." Tony said as he pointed to the top of his head where the grey hair once laid. "I named it Tom Selleck. Anyway. . .I pulled it out, but I feel like the grey hair is internal this time too. Yeah. . .Anthony DiNozzo is growing up way to fast." Gibbs laughed and finally relaxed from the statement. Now, his concern was just on Ziva.

~The End


End file.
